Geofire - Experts & Thought Leaders

As the rising number of COVID admissions pushes patient capacity limits, ensuring compliant fire safety has never been more important. As hospitals battle through the second major wave of the virus, concerns have been raised around the NHS’ on-going maintenance backlog and the impact on safety and infrastructure. In January 2021, figures suggested that the total backlog was the equivalent of the annual running cost of the entire NHS estate, which was around £9.7bn in 2019/2020. Emergency hospital evacuations Despite the added pressure of COVID-19, hospitals and healthcare buildings must ensure that fire safety standards are not only compliant but adapted to facilitate the added challenge of the ongoing pandemic. Emergency hospital evacuations are inherently more complicated compared to public buildings Emergency hospital evacuations are inherently more complicated when compared to other public buildings. Alike most aspects of modern life, the pandemic has made this process more difficult, with the requirements of social distancing and the prevention of infection a vital consideration.  Mobility issues and the vulnerable nature of patients, combined with expensive and often life-dependent equipment require substantial assistance from staff in the event of a fire, slowing the procedure down and risking lives in the process. fire evacuation A fire evacuation in the accident and emergency unit at the Royal Stoke University Hospital in 2017 saw patients on higher levels waiting for lifts for up to an hour while the fire alarm sounded.  As many of the patients were unable to walk, staff attempted to transport them on beds and mattresses, causing gridlock in the hospital corridors and subsequent delays. Furthermore as smoke from the fire spread throughout the building, patients had to be redirected to neighboring hospitals as the A&E unit and surrounding wards were closed and ventilated. The limited capacity in hospitals across the UK today would make an incident like this catastrophic, with patients left with nowhere to go. COVID-19 Fire doors are essential to provide protection to a building and its occupants COVID-19 has seen a change to day-to-day behaviors which may directly intensify the risk of a fire in a hospital. The increased use of ventilators was raised as a heightened fire risk by the NHS England estates team in March last year, with higher oxygen levels within wards allowing a potential fire to spread at a faster rate. The need to reduce touchpoints and prevent contact with door handles has resulted in many high-traffic fire doors being held open. Fire doors are essential to provide protection to a building and its occupants, preventing smoke and flames spreading from room to room in the event of a fire. Author's Quote Geofire, manufacturer of the Salamander fire door system said, “As an official supplier to one the largest hospital trusts in the UK, we want to stress to Fire Safety Officers across the country the importance of not letting fire safety standards slip." Salamander offers the only wire-free system of radio-controlled fire door holders and closers "Our approved radio controlled, Salamander devices are battery operated and connect wirelessly to a mains-powered controller unit, which is easily wired into existing fire alarm systems, ensuring that fire doors will safely close in the event of a fault or fire." "The Salamander system has all the benefits of hard-wired electromagnetic door holders and closers, but as the devices are wire-free, they are quick and easy to install, saving time, installation costs and require no disruption to a building’s fabric or its occupants.” wire-free system Holding open a fire door with a non-compliant device not only threatens prosecution, fines and closures following failed inspections but puts patients, staff, equipment, and the building at risk. Salamander offers the only wire-free system of radio-controlled fire door holders and closers which complies with Category A of BS 7273-4.

Over 12 months, the COVID-19 pandemic has dominated the world with the necessary, but disruptive nature of lockdowns and restrictions impacting day-to-day business across the UK. Despite the turbulent year, the risk a fire poses to life and property remains unchanged and it is essential that businesses continue to ensure precautionary and preventative measures are taken. Survey among fire safety professionals In order to gain an insight into how COVID-19 has impacted the fire safety industry, Geofire conducted a survey among fire safety professionals throughout March 2021. The key findings from the report suggest that fire safety professionals believe there is a lack of awareness in businesses around the importance of fire safety, with 53% stating that they have seen an increase in fire doors being wedged open since the start of the pandemic. Andy Collinson, CEO at Geofire, said, “As the manufacturer of fire safety products, including fire door holders and closers, we wanted to conduct this survey to learn from others in the industry and raise awareness of the importance of ensuring fire safety compliance. This is even more important as restrictions ease and businesses and buildings across the UK begin to reopen, some for the first time in over a year.”

The Mercyhurst University Hockey Team can safely store their equipment and gear using GearGrid’s Wall Mount GridIron lockers. The open-grid design promotes maximum air movement, which minimizes odor build-up and allows damp athletic gear to dry between games. The integrated, hinged seat eliminates the need for additional benches, creating a more open floor plan. The lockers were even customized to match their team’s colors along with their logo.